


Unfinished (this is the end)

by lionessvalenti



Category: White Collar
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, Gen Fic, Possible Resolution, Sad, Season 3 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-24
Updated: 2011-08-24
Packaged: 2017-10-23 00:25:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/244235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one knows the whole story. Trying to put the pieces together, Peter goes to the one man who could help him find Neal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unfinished (this is the end)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Lefaym for the beta read!

Peter stood by the window, looking out at the high razor wire fences, with dark clouds behind them. When the barred doors opened, he turned and watched as a familiar figure was quickly frisked by the guard who accompanied him down the hall. He stepped into the room and the doors closed behind him.

"Mozzie," Peter said.

"Suit," Mozzie replied.

Peter motioned to the table separating them. "Let's sit."

"I'd rather stand," Mozzie said.

"Fine," Peter said, trying not to roll his eyes. They hadn't been in the same room for sixty seconds and he was already exasperated. He shouldn't have expected anything less.

However, he didn't wan to draw this out any longer than inecessary. Mozzie had to know why he was there. There was only one reason he'd come to the prison for a visit. There wasn't any point in small talk. "Where is he?"

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you."

"What about a name? What alias is he using?"

Mozzie crossed his arms over his chest and didn't say a word.

"I want to protect him," Peter said, knowing how desperate he sounded. "Wherever Neal is, there are people after him. There are always going to be people after the treasure."

"Who says he has the treasure?" Mozzie asked. They were long past him asking what treasure Peter could be referring to. "Anyone could have ended up with it. Keller, Alex -- a lot of people got their hands dirty, Suit. Including you."

"Don't remind me," Peter replied, his voice just short of a growl. He didn't want to think about the things he'd done to get Elizabeth back from Keller, or how Neal still hid things from him and skipped town with billions in stolen art, knowing everything that happened because of it.

The treasure was a curse. It spoiled everyone it touched.

Peter sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He was tired. He felt like he'd aged ten years in a few short weeks. He hadn't been sleeping well, waking several times in the night to make sure Elizabeth was still in bed next to him, and that was when he _could_ sleep. When he couldn't, his mind raced, going over the evidence again, trying to figure out something he missed.

"At least tell me what happened," he said, pulling his hand away from his face. "I've put together the pieces and I still have holes in the story."

"I don't know what happened," Mozzie replied. "Before Keller took El, Neal wanted to stay in New York. He wasn't ready to give up this life -- he wasn't ready to give you up. I don't know what changed, or when it changed. I don't know why he left."

"And he gave us all up," Peter said. "Even you, and you're still protecting him. Why?"

"It could be part of his plan!" Mozzie said, opening up his arms, throwing his hands in the air. "Just because he didn't tell me doesn't mean there isn't a plan!"

"Like how you didn't tell Neal that you were going to steal the art in the first place?" Peter asked.

"I refuse to answer that accusation," Mozzie said, pointing at Peter, and then crossing his arms again.

Peter shook his head. "Then we're done here. But, Mozzie, Neal's not coming back. There isn't a plan. If he comes back to New York, he'll be arrested on the spot. There's nothing I can do about that."

"And you think you can protect him? Is that your idea of protection?"

"There are lots of ways of protecting him." Peter walked around the table and past Mozzie, toward the door.

"Suit," Mozzie said, his arms falling to his sides. He turned around to face Peter, the two of them only a few paces apart. "How's Mrs. Suit doing?"

Peter stopped in his tracks and frowned. He stared out at the hallway, not looking at Mozzie when he replied, "She always wanted to see the best in you and in Neal. How do you think she is?"

He motioned for the guard to open the door before Mozzie could say anything, if he had anything left to say.

As Peter left the prison, fat raindrops fell around him, splattering against the blacktop. He got in the car, shutting the door just as the sky opened up and it began to pour.

Peter leaned against the headrest and watched the rain pound on the windshield. He wasn't any closer to finding Neal. He wasn't sure he ever would be. No one knew why Neal ran with the treasure, Peter among them. He could always figure Neal out. It was how he caught Neal every time. Peter wasn't even sure what he would do -- what he _could_ do -- if he ever did find him, but he couldn't let it go. He couldn't leave it alone.

He couldn't leave the story unfinished, even if it was the end.


End file.
